An Investigative Study on Material and Its Performance of Intermediate Disaster Relief Shelters

Intermediate disaster relief shelters play a significant role after any disaster as it is an integral part of disaster response and recovery which helps to provide security and safety for the people who have left or lost their accommodation due to the disaster. These shelters not only provide accommodation but also help them to overcome the trauma of the disaster initiating the process of rehabilitation. In the past review of literature, case studies and reports related to the design of disaster relief shelters it has been found that due to the lack of adequate consideration related to climatic conditions, locally available materials, unskilled labour, cost constraints and other socio-cultural issues and construction delays resulted in its poor performance contributing to an unacceptable standard of living for the victims. The paper aims to explore the types of intermediate relief shelters with respect to various materials available through literature and case studies addressing the key factors affecting the environmental, economic, technical and socio-cultural criteria affecting the provision and performance of such shelters. The outcome of the paper is to propose strategic recommendations for addressing the major key aspects to be taken into consideration during the decision-making and design processes of such shelters for the effective and better performance of these shelters.